New York will no longer prosecute 16, 17-year-olds as adults

As part of a new "Raise the Age" initiative, New York has announced that it will no longer prosecute 16- and 17-year-olds as adults.

TheGrio Staff

Apr 13, 2017

As part of a new “Raise the Age” initiative, New York has announced that it will no longer prosecute 16- and 17-year-olds as adults.

Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the reform bill, which changes the age at which people are tried as adults to 17 this year and then to 18 next year as part of an effort to reform criminal justice.

Minors who commit misdemeanors, under the reform, would go to family court, while a special youth court will be created to deal with minors who commit felonies.